ClubheaderNewshere
CRIEFF BRIDGE CLUB
Results in the Autumn Pairs, held on Tuesday, October 17, were as follows:
NS - 1 Sheila Vass and Eric Starritt ( 65%); 2 Marc van Grieken and Peter Philip (53%).
EW - 1 Agnes Hoskins and Harry Arbuckle ( 59%); 2 Hella Duncan and Maureen Nicholson (51%).
Results in the weekly match-pointed pairs, held at Crieff Golf Club on Tuesday, October 3, were as follows:
NS - 1 Sheila Vass and Eric Starritt (59%), 2= Jim Harley and Donald Smith and Hella Duncan and Maureen Nicholson (48%).
EW - 1 Marc van Grieken and Phil Tipping (60%), 2 Iain McBride and Peter Philip (57.5%).
CRIEFF 30 CLUB
The latest meeting of Crieff 30 Club welcomed Colin Grassick as its speaker, whose subject was Crieff Highland Gathering.
Colin opened in buoyant mood as the 2003 Gathering was described as being an outstanding success with a large attendance.
There are many fables and stories in terms of how Highland Games started, with Colin citing King James I and his wappenshaws – which saw archery, swordplay and martial arts hold sway – as one possibility.
The other fables concern King Malcolm having a race run on a hill outside Braemar to select the King’s Messenger and Robert the Bruce giving Ceres in Fife a Highland Gathering for its services at Bannockburn.
In the late 1860s a group of Crieff worthies had the idea of Crieff hosting a
Highland Gathering and, with a smile, Colin said that rumour abounded in Strathearn that Comrie had a similar idea and that gave the Crieff worthies the impetus to organise the first Highland Games in the town in 1870.
A Gathering has been held in Crieff every year since, apart from during the
two World Wars and the recent years affected by Covid-19 safety measures.
The Gathering was originally held in the grounds of Morrison’s Academy.
However, in 1910, the committee then bought the grounds in Market Park and this has been the home of the Gathering ever since.
The committee has faced numerous challenges during its lifetime but overall saw these challenges as opportunities.
Some of the issues faced include the loss of the wooden grandstand, the removal of the pipe band competition and the changing customer expectations at such events.
The Gathering has now obtained charitable status and is well-known for the support it gives to young people in Strathearn who have a desire to participate in all aspects of Scottish culture.
A highlight in the Gathering’s history was in 1923 when the then Duke of York, who was later to become King George, graced the event with his presence.
There has also been a number of wellknown competitors in the various events, including many from overseas.
Colin stated that the Gathering was in a healthy financial position and committee members were looking at further income streams to reduce the high costs of holding such events.
The one area where no solution was in sight was that of the Scottish weather, which Colin said could make or break any Games Day.
Colin answered a number of questions from the members and took some points away for investigation by the committee.
Alistair Strickland gave a vote of thanks to Colin and said he would be going home with a greater understanding of the work required to bring a Highland Games event to fruition.
Crieff 30 Club members gathered at the meeting responded in the normal manner.